1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to molding profiles and flooring surfaces. Specifically, the present invention relates to molding profiles that are combined to form and molding profile assemblies (or moldings) used to transition from a first flooring surface to a second flooring surface, where the first and second flooring surfaces may be at the same or different height.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The variety of building surfaces has grown rapidly as a wider variety of materials has become available to make these flooring surfaces. Commercial and residential interiors may contain a number of different building surfaces, each made of a different material. For example, in the case of a building surface such as flooring, a residential interior may contain wall-to-wall carpeting, laminate flooring, hardwood flooring, ceramic tile, stone, or other types of flooring. Because of this, the flooring surfaces may be at different heights from one another. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a transition from one flooring surface to another flooring surface that is both aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. It is also important that these transitions be made at low cost and with a high level of durability. Transition molding profiles are often used to provide this transition from one flooring surface to another.
For example, laminate flooring has become very popular because of its low cost, its versatility and its very high durability. Commensurately, laminate flooring requires transition molding profiles that are equally versatile, low-cost, and durable. In cases where the flooring surfaces include a combination of laminate wood flooring and ceramic tile, stone, hardwood flooring or carpeting, the molding profile must transition smoothly from the laminate wood flooring surface at one height to the other surface which may be at a different height. In addition, the molding profile should be simple to assemble, so that a customer can quickly and easily assemble the molding profiles together. Furthermore, the combined molding profile assembly should be suitable for use with their particular combination of flooring surfaces.
It is understood that molding profile assemblies can be made of two or more molding profiles each of which is made of a laminate of, for example, pressboard, chipboard, pressed paper, particle board, or melamine and having a décor paper and a protective coating. The molding profiles may be attached together with glue or with a glueless locking system to create a variety of molding profile assemblies from a minimum number of separate molding profiles. The molding profile assembly is then installed between the two flooring surfaces by attaching it to the floor via a track or some other means.
While these molding profile assemblies provide a variety of edge contours and transitions, their assembly is complex. Specifically, some molding profile assemblies require that one of the component molding profiles be permanently or irreversibly altered, e.g. by stripping or scraping part of the profile, in order to form a new molding profile component and to assemble the completed molding profile assembly.
However, because transition molding profile assemblies are often be very long, for example on the order of a few to several feet, the irreversible alteration that the installer is required to make to one or more of the molding profile components, such as stripping or scraping, can be painstaking and labor intensive. As such, there is a need for a transition molding profile assembly that is low-cost, highly durable, easy to manufacture and quick to install. There is also a need for a transition molding profile assembly that can be assembled from a small number of component molding profiles, without any permanent or irreversible alteration to any of the component molding profiles. This way the intact molding profiles can be assembled quickly and easily, and, if necessary, disassembled and reassembled to form a different transition molding profile assembly.